Kirkistown Race Circuit was blessed with perfect racing conditions for an excellent Car and Superkart race meeting, on Saturday 27th April, 2024. The sun shone constantly, accompanied by a cool breeze, which meant that the track surface was hot, yet the engines were benefitting from thicker, cool air. It also meant that spectators had to be vigilant against getting sunburnt!
With there being only two Libre Saloons, their race was cancelled, making the opening race N.I. Formula Ford 1600s. And what an opener this was! When the lights went out and the field shot away, an almighty commotion took place before Debtor’s Dip with the cars of Saintfield driver, Philip Harris, and Markethill driver, David Nicholl, eliminated on the spot. The race was red flagged immediately. The restarted race was over 10 minutes and featured a fantastically close battle between Jordan Kelly, from Buncrana, Jason Smyth, from Celbridge, David McCullough, from Ballymena, and Ronan Doherty, from Dunloy. Kelly managed to be ahead every time as they crossed the line until lap nine, when Smyth made a move stick. Doherty had dropped out of contention on lap seven but McCullough was keeping the two young bloods at the front honest. In the end, Smyth won from Kelly, with McCullough a close third.
In the second race for these cars, in the afternoon, it was more of the same, featuring the identical protagonists. This time Smyth had pulled a small advantage at the front over Kelly, when his radiator cap blew off, necessitating his retirement. Doherty and McCullough chased Kelly hard, with McCullough passing Doherty for second on lap eleven. It finished with Kelly winning, McCullough second and Doherty third.
Keith Hogg, from Swords, and Enda O’Connor, from Wicklow, dominated the first Formula Sheane race. Hogg won by 2 seconds from O’Connor. Sean Kiernan, from Mullingar, and Vinny Keogh, from Rathcoole, had a great battle over third place, with Kiernan finishing less than half a second ahead.
In the second Sheane race the resulting order was the same but it was a mighty race between Hogg and O’Connor. Crossing the finish line, Hogg was just 0.182 seconds ahead!
The first Superkarts race saw Brian Jones, from Craigavon, plummet from pole position to last place, with a very sick kart, on the opening lap. Liam Fox, from Moira, took up the lead, chased by Alan Crossen, from Comber, and Aaron Newell, from Ballygowan. On lap eight, Crossen took up a lead he would not relinquish. Fox maintained second place and Newell took third.
In the 125cc class, Stuart Coey, from Comber, Jonathan Bell, from Dundrod, Scott Greenaway, from Gilford and Noel Lindsay, from Hillsborough had a mighty, race long battle, finishing in that order.
The second race for these quick but fragile machines was plagued by mechanical disfunctions. Jones shot from fifth to first place on the opening lap before retiring a lap later. Newell took up the lead before retiring three laps later. Crossen now led and would stay there to the end. Richard Dewart, from Lurgan, chased him home, ahead of veteran campaigner, Colin Menary, from Bangor. In the 125cc camp, Coey and Bell were first and second again. This time it was Eoin Ryan, from Cashel, who took third place.
In the Superkarts final outing, Crossen made it three wins from three races. Fox came from fourth place at the start to claim second and Newell took third. In the 125cc class, Coey also made it three from three. Greenaway took second and Lindsay third.
The Roadsports, Globals and N.I. 7evens combined to produce a 19 car grid. In their first race, veteran driver Arnie Black, from Banbridge, rolled back the years in his Crosslé 37S to take a dominant victory over Blackrock driver, Bernard Foley, in a Crosslé 42S. Brian Elliott, from Banbridge, in a Radical Clubsport, was third. Peter Drennan, from Navan, Cameron Fenton, from Greystones, and Keith Rabbit, from Dunshaughlin, had great battle in the Globals, finishing in that order, with half a second covering all three! Richard Morgan, from Hillsborough, dominated the N I 7evens. Ethan Campbell, from Strangford, was second and Brian Crawford, from Lisburn, was third.
In their second race, Mike Ward, from Youghal, won in his Radical PRO6, after Arnie Black had retired from the lead on the final lap. Bernard Foley was second. After a great four-way tussle in the Globals, Keith Rabbitt finished 0.7 seconds ahead of Peter Drennan, who was 0.03 seconds ahead of Cameron Fenton. Ulick Burk, from Athlone, was a further second behind these three. In the N I 7evens, Trevor Allen, from Lisburn, took his immaculate GMS Honda to victory. Richard Morgan was second and Ethan Campbell was third.
The two Libre Saloons were allowed to run with the Modi-5-Cup Mazda MX5s. As expected and planned, their extra speed and power allowed them to run away and not influence the great racing among the Mazdas. There was a race-long battle among Rob Kennedy, from Crossmaglen, Francis Allen, from Moira, Craig Ewing, from Dundonald and Damian Moran, from Newry. Places were constantly switching throughout the race. In the end, Kennedy finished half a second in front of Ewing and Allen finished a quarter of a second in front of Moran! The second race provided the Move Of The Meeting! In the Modi-5-Cup, the grid is reversed for the second race, so Ballywalter’s David Cousins, Allen, Ewing and Moran were coming from behind. Moran was the first to hit the front, closely followed by Cousins. On the ninth lap, Ewing passed Cousins and Allen was keeping all three honest. The “Move” came on the final lap as they approached Maguire’s Hairpin. Moran, Cousins and Ewing were three-wide. There was a gap on the inside, just big enough for a Mazda MX5. From way back, Allen dive-bombed into the gap, passing all three into the corner. It gave him the lead but he was slightly off line for a fast exit. In the ensuing drag for the finish line, Moran just got ahead to take a deserved win. Cousins was third ahead of Ewing. This class has really begun to produce the best racing of the day.
For the record, in both races, Gavin Stanfield, from Cabra, brought his Subaru Impreza home ahead of the Seat Ibiza of Kells driver, David McMinn.
The combined grid of Kirkistown Fiestas and Kirkistown Minis had nine of each class. In the Fiestas, current 2023 Champion, Michael Graham, from Portadown, made his first appearance of the year. He proceeded to win both races! Megan Campbell, from Strangford, Conor Mulholland, from Newtownabbey, and Neville Anderson, from Banbridge disputed the next positions. Campbell retired on Lap six. Anderson took second place and Mulholland third. In race two, Anderson took another second place, with Campbell finishing third.
The Kirkistown Minis are enjoying their first season as a proper championship. However, with that comes championship policing and a number of drivers fell foul of the technical rule book. In the first race, Peter Bennett, from Tandragee, passed Darren Gilmore, from Lisnaskea, for the lead on lap one. Both held their positions to the end. Craig Gilmore, from Ballyhalbert, and Paul Stewart, from Belfast were having a great battle over third when they were joined by Saintfield driver, Johnny Titterington, who was coming from eighth place on the first lap. He duly passed both of them and held third place to the end. Gilmore got the better of Stewart on the penultimate lap. After the race, Titterington was disqualified for a technical infringement, promoting Craig Gilmore to third place. In race two, Bennett, again, took the lead on the first lap, holding it to the end. Taylor Frizzell, from Ballyclare, had a great, race-long battle with Darren Gilmore. They were joined from lap nine onwards by Titterington and Mark Stewart, from Belfast. At the finish line Titterington had reached second place, with Darren Gilmore third. Frizzell was fourth, Craig Gilmore fifth with Paul Stewart passing his brother for sixth on the final lap. In the post-race scrutiny, Both Gilmore brothers, Titterington and Bennett were disqualified for technical infringements. That gave Taylor Frizzell his first win in the class. Paul Stewart was second and Mark Stewart third.
The next meeting on Saturday 25th May features the quirky, crowd favourites that are the Irish Legends.
Words: DONAL O’NEILL/500 MRCI
